Refrigerator icemaker with raised perimeter walls

ABSTRACT

An improved icemaker is provided for a refrigerator. The improvements include tilting the ice mold to assure that the ice cavity nearest the thermostat is filled with water; controlling air flow to the mold to promote rapid freezing of water in the mold cavities; raising the perimeter walls of the mold to minimize water spillage; and providing hooks on the mold for routing electrical wires.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. Ser. No.11/140,100 filed May 27, 2005, which is herein incorporated by referencein its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved icemaker for freezer oricemaking compartments.

The prior art icemakers suffer from a variety of issues relative tooperation, ice formation, ice harvest without water spillage, qualityissues, attachment issues to the inside of the refrigerator compartment,etc. These problems have been exasperated by the fact that a significantdesign effort has not been overtaken by the industry for many years.While the industry has seen some incremental changes to the icemakerdesign, they have focused mainly on components outside the icemaker moldas the mold portion is very expensive to redesign and place intoproduction. In general, the industry has taken an attitude that thecurrent icemakers work well enough.

Unfortunately, the prior art icemakers do not work well. Ice is oftenformed with many trapped air bubbles forming “white” instead of clearice. Additionally, production of ice cubes is slow and icemakers take upa significant portion of the freezer capacity. Moreover, service callsresulting from prior art icemaker malfunctions are high and detract fromthe bottom line of a company.

The present invention solves or minimizes these problems and others asevident in the following specification and claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing objectives may be achieved with an improved icemakerhaving an ice mold.

A further feature of the present invention is an improved icemakerhaving an ice stripper that protects ice from falling back into the icecavities after the ice is ejected but yet minimizes the amount ofobstruction along a wall of the ice mold from cold freezer air used tofreeze the water. The ice stripper may also include vertically extendingribs that help assist in creating convective air.

A further feature of the present invention is an icemaker that may bepositioned on different sides of the storage compartment withoutcompromising the effectiveness of the icemaker.

A further feature of the improved icemaker is multiple means of mountingthe icemaker including plate mounting, button style mounting, andimpingement duct mounting.

A further feature of the present invention includes a control systemthat does not permit an external fan to blow while a heating coil isengaged.

A further feature of the present invention is an externally mountedthermostat that sandwiches the thermostat between a control housing ofthe icemaker and the mold to firmly hold the thermostat in place foreffective contact against the first ice cavity of the ice mold.

A further feature of the present invention is an improved thermal cutoffswitch location that is positioned to contact an extension member of theice mold placed within the control housing.

A further feature of the present invention is a modular bale arm thatoperates at a pivot point of the control housing.

A further feature of the present invention is an icemaker heating coilclenching method that firmly positions the heating coil to the bottom ofthe ice mold.

A further feature of the present invention are longitudinal runningbottom fins that effectively transfer heat across the bottom of the icemold in low air flow conditions from a convectional vent at the rear ofthe freezer department.

A further feature of the present invention is an icemaker that hasraised walls for a non-spill feature in conditions in which the icemakeris misplaced plus/minus 5.6 degrees from front to back and plus/minus10.2 degrees from side to side.

A further feature of the present invention is a tilted forward ice cubetray that positions the ice mold approximately 1.5 degrees higher at theback end than at the door end of the icemaker to ensure that the icecube cavity closest to the thermostat is filled with water.

A further feature of the present invention is the inclusion of two lowerfront weirs that assure that the ice cube portion nearest the controlhousing is filled with water.

A further feature of the present invention is an improved ice ejectorthat does not interfere with the crown of ice that is formed during thenormal freezing process.

A further feature of the present invention is a mold with a center weiropening to assure that the ice mold is filled regardless of the mountingorientation of the mold within the storage compartment.

A further feature of the present invention are wire ready mold hooksthat permit a icemaker cord to be wrapped around the hooks to reduce itslength to accommodate a variety of different positions within a freezercompartment.

A further feature of the present invention is a fill cup funnel inletthat is splayed outward to facilitate more accurate installation andthereby reduce potential for water to be spilled within the ice storagecompartment.

A further feature of the present invention is an impingement duct whichaccelerates the formation of ice within the ice mold.

A further feature of the present invention is a water fill location atthe center or one end of the ice mold to facilitate the thermostat beingable to better determine that it is proper to eject ice from thecavities.

A further feature of the present invention is multiple water fill levelsensors to better determine the optimum fill volume of the ice cavities.

A further feature of the present invention is an ice mold having alarger cube near the temperature sensor to better facilitate control ofthe ice ejector of the icemaker.

A further feature of the present invention is individual fill of icemold cavities to assure proper filling of all ice mold cavities.

A further feature of the present invention is a straight shot of fillwater down the mold lower rear side to assure that all ice cavities arefilled with water.

A still further feature of the present invention is a step mold icemakerthat reduces the amount of problems an ice mold may have as a result ofunlevel mounting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the icemaker of the present inventionwithin a storage compartment of the refrigerator.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the icemaker of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the icemaker of the present inventionbeing installed upon a bottom plate for mounting within the refrigeratorwall.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a refrigerator having mounting buttonsupon a wall of the refrigerator for mounting the icemaker.

FIGS. 4A-C show different aspects of the button mounting for theicemaker.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate different mounting bracket configurations forthe icemaker.

FIGS. 6A-C illustrate a mounting method of placing the icemaker uponbutton mountings.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the icemaker in use within a specialtyicemaking compartment (icebox).

FIGS. 8-14 illustrate aspects of the icemaker's thermostat and thermalcutoff sensor.

FIG. 15 illustrates a side view of the icemaker and its modular balearm.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the icemaker illustrating the crimping ofthe heating element.

FIG. 17 is a side cross sectional view of the icemaker.

FIG. 18 is a side view of the icemaker within the freezer compartmentshowing the 1.5 degree forward tilt of the icemaker.

FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view of the icemaker showing the weirconfiguration and the positioning of the ice ejector arm.

FIG. 20 is a sectional view of a weir of the icemaker.

FIG. 21 is a side view of the icemaker showing the wire cable and wiremounting hooks.

FIGS. 22 and 23 illustrate the impingement duct in use with the icemakerof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

With initial reference to FIG. 1, a refrigerator, generally indicated bynumeral 10, includes a cabinet 12 within which is defined a storagecompartment 14. Storage compartment 14 may be selectively accessedthrough the pivoting of door 16. As shown, refrigerator 10 is aside-by-side style unit. However, it should be understood that therefrigerator may be a top freezer refrigerator, a bottom freezerrefrigerator, a stand alone freezer, a stand alone refrigerator with aspecialty icemaker compartment, a bottom freezer having a specialty icemaking compartment in the refrigerator compartment, or otherrefrigerators known in the art.

Arranged within the storage compartment 14 is an icemaker 22. Theicemaker 22 has positioned underneath it an ice storage bin 24. Theicemaker 22 is shown to include a bale arm 26 which is rotatable upwardand downward based on the amount of ice retained in the ice storage bin24.

The icemaker 22 includes an ice mold 28. The icemaker 22 receives waterdirected to the ice mold 28 through a fill tube 30.

As seen more clearly in FIG. 18, the fill tube 30 may be positionedadjacent a fill cup 32 which prevents the water from spilling orsplashing into the storage compartment. The fill cup 32 may receive thefill tube 30 from a rear opening 34 or a top opening 36. The fill cup 32directs the water into the ice mold 28. The ice mold 28 has weirs 38partitioning the ice mold 28 into individual cube cavities 42. The weirs38 have an opening 40 which permits water to move from the fill cup 32into individual cavities for forming ice cubes. In use, the water isturned into ice primarily through either conductive or convective heatexchange within the storage compartment 14.

A control housing 44 is attached to the ice mold 28. The control housing44 contains the electromechanical components of the icemaker 22. Anon/off switch 46 is provided on the outside of the control housing 44. Acord 48 is provided for power and/or control commands to be routed tothe control housing 44. A plug 50 is provided at the end of the cord 48to mate with a socket placed within a wall or ceiling of the storagecompartment 14. The cord 48 may be held in place against the ice mold 28by at least one routing hook 51.

The control housing encloses a motor to activate an ejector arm 54. Theejector arm 54 has fingers 56 for each cavity 42. The control housingalso encloses a thermostat 58 and a thermal cut-off unit 60 (See FIGS.11 and 12).

The thermostat 58 is positioned in contact with the ice mold next to thecavity 42 nearest the control housing. The thermostat 58 is selected toclose an electrical circuit at a designated temperature to engage themotor powering the ejector arm 54 and thus initiate an ice harvest.Under normal operating conditions which has some degree of inconsistentconvection, this temperature registered by the thermostat is selected tobe 15°-17° F.; however, under low or repentable airflow conditions thethermostat may be selected to send a signal at temperatures as high as30°-31° F. In any event, the thermostat should not initiate the ejectorarm when any of the cavities have liquid within them. When only onethermostat is being used, it is preferred that the icemaker is biasedsuch that the cavity to which the thermostat is in contact has water init that freezes last. Alternatively, multiple thermostats may be usedand a control system utilized that only initiates the ejector arm 54when all thermostats are below a set-point temperature.

The thermal cut-off unit 60 is provided as a safety measure. Theicemaker utilizes a high wattage heating coil 57 (FIG. 17) to heat theunderside of the ice mold 28. The thermal cut-off unit 60 is provided tocut power to the high wattage heating coil 57 in the event that the highwattage heating coil 57 malfunctions. During a malfunction, the highwattage heating coil 57 remains on creating a temperature rise outsidenormal operating parameters.

In normal operation, the water in the cavities 42 is frozen, the heatingcoil 57 turned on, and the motor engaged to release ice cubes. The motormoves the ejector arm 54 to rotate the fingers 56 through notches in theice stripper 62 to engage the ice and remove them from the ice mold 28.The ice stripper 62 prevents ice from reentering into the ice mold 28.The ejector arm 54 returns to its starting position after tworevolutions and engages a switch which indicates that water may againfill the ice mold 28.

Improved Ice Stripper

As seen in the FIG. 2, the ice stripper 62 has a small strip skirt 63.The strip skirt 63 slides upon a longitudinal rail of the ice mold 28.The strip skirt 63 permits the side of the ice mold 28 to be exposed forheat transfer. This is in sharp contrast to the prior art which had askirt that extended substantially down along the side of the icemakerand consequently heat exchange from cool air hitting the icemaker 22 didnot transfer to the ice mold 28.

An additional improvement to the ice stripper 62 may include upwardextending fins (not shown). The ice stripper 62 as shown in FIG. 2 hasribs that extend over the cavities 42. These ribs are separated bynotches through which the ejector fingers 56 pass through. Each rib mayhave an upward extending fin (not shown). These fins are centered uponthe rib. The rib's midline is preferably centered upon each of the weirs38 thus placing the fins directly above the weirs 38. The fins enhanceairflow and improve the rate that ice is formed.

Icemaker Positioning

The icemaker 22 may be positioned in the storage compartment 14 atdifferent positions. The present icemaker assembly permits positioningupon various sides of the storage compartment 14. Moreover, the icemakerunit 22 may be positioned within different compartments of therefrigerator including a top mount freezer, a side-by-side freezer, abottom mount freezer, and within an ice box.

Icemaker Mounting

The icemaker unit may be attached to the storage compartment 14 withdifferent mountings. These mountings may include hangers, platformsand/or compartments. Mounting brackets are provided upon the icemakerassembly. The brackets are typically integrally formed with the ice mold28.

a. Plate Mounting

As seen in FIG. 3A, the icemaker 22 may be mounted to a plate 70. Theplate 70 may then be attached to a wall of the storage compartment 14.

b. Button Style Mounting

As seen in FIG. 4A, a button 72A may be attached to the inner surface ofa storage compartment 14. The button 72A may be attached by a screw aspreviously done by Maytag Corporation. The button 72A is used primarilywith refrigerators 10 that are retrofit to include an icemaker.

An improved button 72B may be provided as illustrated in FIGS. 4B-4C forrefrigerators that come preassembled with an icemaker 22. In thisscenario, it is more industrious to provide button 72B which does notinclude a separate threaded fastener but rather utilizes a twist andlock fastener 74. During the manufacture of the refrigerator storagecompartment 14 a lateral slit is provided in the wall 18. A twist andlock fastener 74 has a lateral dimension greater than its longitudinaldimension. Therefore, the twist and lock fastener 74 may be insertedinto the lateral slit on wall 18 when its lateral dimension is alignedwith the lateral slit. The twist and lock fastener 74 is then fullyinserted into the wall until a back plate 76 of the button 72B strikesthe wall 18.

The back plate 76 has a square top 78. As the user is putting this insideways, the shape difference between the flat square top 78 and arounded bottom 84 provides a reference for the user to turn button 72Bto place it in an optimal position such that the twist and lock fastener74 may not come out of the lateral slit. The user may use a hex fittingto assist in rotating the button 72B into a locked position.

The button, either 72B or 72A, has a small inner diameter 80 and alarger outer diameter 82. Two buttons together cooperate with brackets64 upon the icemaker unit 22. As seen in FIG. 2, the brackets 64 mayboth be designed with a longitudinal opening.

As seen in FIG. 5A, the bracket 64A may be designed to have a firstdiameter (D1) which accommodates insertion of the outer diameter 82 ofthe button and then have the button slide up the bracket 64 to a portionthat has a second diameter (D2) that engages the inner diameter 80.Alternatively as seen in 5B, the bracket 64B may be a longitudinalchannel having a diameter (D3) which is less than the outer diameter 82.When installing the icemaker having the bracket 64A, the bracket ismoved laterally over the button 72 and then slid downward upon thebutton. Using the bracket 64B, the user is able to slide the bracketdown over the button, without moving the bracket laterally over thebutton prior to downward movement of the bracket 64B.

An alternative form of the brackets is seen in FIG. 6A-C. In thesefigures, two different types of brackets are provided, namely a firstbracket 64 with longitudinal channel a second bracket 66 with a lateralchannel. The lateral channel bracket 66 is of a position on the icemakerthat is away from the installer. As seen in FIG. 6A, the installerinserts the lateral channel bracket 66 upon the button 72 laterally.Then, as seen in 6B, the user rotates the icemaker assembly downwardsuch that the longitudinal channel bracket 64 comes down upon anotherbutton 72.

c. Impingement Duct Mounting

FIG. 7 illustrates a third way of mounting the icemaker within a storagecompartment 14 by placing it within an ice box 86. The icemaker 22 isfastened to an assembly that includes a fan assembly 88, an impingementduct 90 connected to the fan assembly 88 and positioned beneath the icemold 28, and an auger assembly 92. The impingement duct 90 has anintegrally molded rail (not shown) that slides within a guide 94 uponthe side of the ice box 86. The icemaker 22 is attached to theimpingement duct 90 and held within the ice box 86 by virtue of themolded rail upon the impingement duct 90.

Control of External Fan

As shown in FIG. 7, the fan assembly 88 is used to blow air onto themold body. A control system may be provided for the icemaker 22 whichcontrols when the fan assembly 88 operates. Using such a control system,the fan assembly 88 is not permitted to turn on when the icemaker isharvesting ice because at this time heat is applied to the icemaker moldbody during harvest through a heating coil 57. If cold freezer air isnot forced to the mold body during an ice harvest, the mold body heatsup faster, allowing a faster ice harvest rate. It should be noted thatthe control system may be used to control the freezer's evaporator orother fan not illustrated in FIG. 7.

Externally Mounted Thermostat

As seen in FIG. 8-12, the externally mounted thermostat 58 is positionedbetween the control housing 44 and the mold 28. The mold 28 in FIGS. 8and 9 is illustrated with only components that are integrally moldedtogether. The mold is preferably made from aluminum or other heatconductive material.

As most clearly illustrated in FIG. 8, the thermostat 58 is placedwithin an orifice 100. Opposite the orifice 100, a flat surface of themold 28 is provided to press against the thermostat 58 and hold itfirmly in place. As seen in FIG. 10, the back side of the thermostat 58has electrical connectors extending through the orifice 100. A crosssection of the thermostat 58 within the orifice illustrates that a thingap 102 may be present between the thermostat 58 and the mold 28. Thegap 102 may be filled with a conductive grease-like material tofacilitate effective heat transmission from the mold 28 to thethermostat 58. This improvement is in contrast to the prior art whichused a spring to push the thermostat into intimate contact with themold; in sharp contrast, the externally mounted thermostat 58 is lockedbetween the control housing 22 and the mold 28.

Improved Thermal Cut-Off Location

As also in FIG. 8-10, 13-14, the thermal cut-off switch 60 is positionedto contact mold 28 at an integrally formed extension member 104. Theextension member 104 is inserted into the control housing 44 through anopening 106. The thermal cut-off switch (TCO) 60 is a safety element.The thermal cut-off switch 60 is a fuse that melts if the mold bodytemperature rises above 160° F. When the TCO melts, the current flowstops and cuts off power to the icemaker or the heater coil from theicemaker thus preventing excessive temperature rise.

As seen in FIGS. 13-14, the thermal cut-off switch 60 is held in contactwith the extension member 104 by a finger 108 biased toward the opening106. As opposed to the prior art that positions the thermal cut-offswitch 60 within the opening 106, the improved thermal cut-off locationprotects the switch 60 from damage within the control housing and formsbetter contact with the mold 28 by contacting the extension member 104.Additionally, the prior art requires the use of a conductive grease-likematerial to facilitate effective heat transmission as opposed toapplicant's thermal cut-off switch 60 which is positioned in intimatecontact with the extension member without a conductive grease-likematerial. It should be noted that applicant's invention may use aconductive grease-like material as an additional precaution.

Modular Bale Arm

As seen in FIG. 15, the modular bale arm 26 is mounted to the controlhousing 44 by a rotating base 110. The bale arm 26 is comprised of threedifferent formed portions. When in a lowered position these portions areidentified as a first portion that angles downward from the rotatingbase 110, a second, center portion that is parallel relative theicemaker, and a third portion that angles upward from the secondportion. The bale arm 26 pivots for movement in a vertical plane betweena lowered position in which ice is permitted to be made and an upperposition in which ice production is stopped.

Icemaker Heating Coil

The bottom side of the icemaker 22 is illustrated in FIG. 16. Along thebottom of the mold 28, the individual ice cube cavities 42 have a bottomside that is slightly curved as it approaches the weirs 38. Each weir 38bottom side is shown with a slight indentation.

A heating coil 57 runs along the channel defined by an outer ridge 122and an inner ridge 120. The heating coil 57 has side portions that havea higher wattage than the end away from the control housing. Thisdifference in wattage prevents the ice cube portion 42 furthest from thecontrol housing 44 from melting faster than the other cubes. The heatingcoil is held within this channel by a series of crimps 124. The crimps124 are preferably located over the weirs 38. Alternatively, the crimps124 may be located upon the ice cube cavities 42. These crimps 124assist in conduction of energy from the heating coil to the ice mold 28.Thermally conductive grease or mastic may be provided between theheating coil and the bottom of the mold 28 to further enhance heatconduction.

In normal operation, the last cube to be frozen should be the ice cubeportion in contact with the thermostat 58 because as soon as thethermostat 58 registers that ice has been formed in that ice cubeportion the thermostat will trigger the ejector arm 54 to empty the icemold 28. If the ice cube portion nearest the control housing 44 were tofreeze prior to the others, the ejector arm may be operated when theother ice cubes have not been completely formed, thus causing a spill.

In the prior art, only one or two crimps are formed through a clinchingprocess on the side wall of the icemaker 10 to press it against the heatexchanger. The prior art crimps were designed to basically hold the heatexchanger against the bottom of the icemaker 22. However, having onlyone or two crimps causes inconsistent hot spots and excess residualwater.

Longitudinal Running Bottom Fins

As further seen in FIG. 16, the icemaker 22 has fins 126 on the bottomof the mold 28. The fins 126 promote convective heat transfer away fromthe bottom of the ice mold 28 and more rapid freezing of water withinice cavities 42.

As seen in FIG. 17, the fins are tapered from a wide portion away fromthe control housing 44 to a narrow portion near the control housing. Theshape is particularly useful should the icemaker 22 be used with arefrigerator with a conventional vent at the rear of the freezercompartment. The fins 126 make a marked improvement by directing thisair along a pathway along the bottom of the icemaker mold.

Raised Walls for Non-Spill Feature

As further seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the icemaker 22 is provided with sidewalls 27, 29 and end walls 31, 33 which cooperate to have a no-spillfeature that prevents water from going over the side of the icemaker 22and into the ice storage bin 24. At least the side wall 27 and the endwall 31 extend above the tops of the weirs 38. The side and end walls ofthe ice mold 28 cooperate to have a minimum continual wall height aboutthe periphery based on end user potential alignments. For example, anicemaker 22 may be mounted incorrectly or the refrigerator may be placedon uneven ground. Specifically, the walls provide the icemaker withtolerances which permits the icemaker to be positioned +/−5.6 from frontto back and +/−10.2 from side to side.

Tilted Forward Ice Cube Tray

As seen in FIG. 18, the icemaker 22 may be positioned with the controlhousing 44 mounted toward the front of the cabinet 12 and plugged into aceiling of the cabinet 12. As illustrated the icemaker 22 is mounted atan angle such that the ice mold 28 is approximately 1.5° higher at theback end than at the door end of the icemaker.

During a fill cycle, water enters into the fill cup 32 and flows alongthe ice mold 28. An angled icemaker 22 helps assure that the ice cubecavity 42 nearest the control housing 44 is filled so that thethermostat 58 will get an accurate reading. The thermostat reads thetemperature in the ice cube cavity 42 and controls the function of theice ejector 54 to release ice from the ice cube cavities 42. The icecube tray 16 is 1.5° higher at the back of the ice mold 28 than at thefront end of the ice mold 28. This orientation assures that the ice cubeportion 42 nearest the control housing 44 is filled so that an accuratemeasurement of the temperature is recorded by the thermostat 58.

Additionally, the 1.5° tilt allows extra aluminum 24 to be added at aback end of the icemaker 22 (see FIG. 2) to provide greater heattransfer to the back ice cube portions to enable them to freeze prior tothe ice cube portion 42 in contact with the thermostat 58.

Lower Front Weirs

Preferably, the weirs 38 are of different heights to accommodate the1.5° tilt. An alternate icemaker may have the first 1-2 weirs from thecontrol housing having a bottom point opening lower than the weirsfarthest from the control housing 44. This configuration assures thatwater enters into the ice cube cavity 42 nearest the control housing 44and adjacent the thermostat 58.

Improved Ice Ejector

As seen in the cross section of the icemaker FIG. 19, an ejector arm 54having fingers 56 is used to eject ice from the ice mold 28. The ejectorarm 54 is located approximately 0.5″ above the lowermost opening of theweir 38 and turns in a circular path about a central axis. The presentinvention's ejector arm 54 is positioned and turns such that the ejectorarm 54 does not interfere with the crown of ice that is formed duringthe normal freezing process. The present ejector arm 54 is in contrastwith prior art ejector arms that are mounted lower, or are offset oreccentrically mounted so as to turn in a non-circular or ellipticalpath.

Mold with Center Weir Opening

As seen in both FIGS. 19 and 20, the weir 38 has a bottom point 130 ofthe opening 40 located along the weir centerline. This placement of theweir bottom point 130 allows the maximum side to side angle flexibility.The weirs as illustrated permit an ice mold 28 to function properly atangles between +/−5.6° about the lateral axis in between +/−10.2° aboutthe longitudinal axis. This is in contrast to the prior art icemakersthat position the weir openings 40 significantly off to one side of theice mold 28.

Wire Routing Mold Hooks

As seen in FIG. 21, the icemaker 22 has wire routing hooks 51. Thesehooks 51 are integrally formed with the ice mold 28. These hooks 51together form a runway for the cable 48. These hooks 51 are particularlyuseful because they permit a single length cord 48 to be preassembled tothe icemaker 22 and used for many different refrigerator models despitethe icemaker 22 being positioned at different locations in the icestorage compartment 14 for these models. The cord 48 fits a variety ofdifferent icemakers but because it must be longer to accommodate someicemakers and shorter for others, portions of it are wrapped around thehooks 51.

Fill Cup Funnel Inlet

As further seen in FIG. 21, the fill cup 32 may be provided with afunnel inlet that is outwardly splayed to permit easier installation ofthe icemaker upon a production line or for a consumer to install aretrofit icemaker within a freezer. The funnel inlet solves the problemassociated with a water inlet tube missing the fill cup 32 duringinstallation and causing water to fill the ice storage compartment 14 asopposed to the ice mold 28.

Impingement Duct

As seen in FIGS. 7, 22 and 23, the impingement duct or manifold 90 isprovided directing an array of air jets 140 to the ice mold. As shown inFIG. 7, the impingement duct 90 can be mounted under applicant'simproved icemaker 22 or under a prior art icemaker as illustrated inFIG. 22. The icemaker 22 using the impingement duct 90 produces ice twoto three times faster than an icemaker without an impingement duct.Thus, the impingement duct 90 is particularly useful for refrigeratorshaving a compact icemaker or rapid ice production feature.

As seen in FIG. 23, the impingement duct 90 has a rectangular base 142from which the air jets 140 extend upward. As illustrated, the air jets140 have a diameter between 0.2-0.25 inches. There are eight rows of airjets 140 that are directed under each of the eight ice cavities. Theseeight rows may be further divided into four columns, two outer rows 144and two inner rows 146. The outer rows 144 are higher than the innerrows 146 to follow the shape of the ice cavity 42. It is understood thatthe number of rows and columns of air jets may be varied withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

The air jets 140 are specifically designed to disrupt the thin boundarylayer of air that is warmed by the water freezing in the ice mold 28 andto provide a continuous supply of freezer temperature air. Theconfigurations of the nozzles are either round, slotted or the like. Theactual diameter of the nozzles, the space between adjacent nozzles, anddistance between the surface of icemakers and nozzles are optimallydesigned to obtain the largest heat transfer coefficient for an airflowrate.

An air channel or plenum 148 is beneath the air jets 140. The airchannel has a wide end 150 that receives air from a fan assembly 88 andthan tapers to a closed end 152. The taper permits a balanced airflowdistribution to all air jets 140.

The cooling capacity of the air jets is provided from the freezeritself. The fan assembly 88 has an AC or DC power supply with a smallpower consumption of up to 3-5 watts in order to reduce impact of heatfrom the fan motor in the refrigerated space.

Water-Fill Location at the Sensor End of the Icemold

The icemaker 22 may be altered to have the water fill tube 30 fill theice cavity 42 in contact with the thermostat 58 first. This filllocation is significant because it increases the probability that thethermostat 58 will measure a properly filled ice cavity 42.

Icemakers that fill the ice mold 28 from the opposite end of the mold inrelation to the sensor may leave the cube nearest the thermostatunfilled. This is particularly a problem in low water fill situationssuch as homes with low water pressure and may result in quality problemsand service calls. When the cube nearest the thermostat is not properlyfilled, the ejector arm 54 is likely to be engaged while some of the icecavities 42 still contain liquid.

Multiple Temperature and Water Fill Level Sensors

The icemaker 22 may be altered to include multiple temperature sensors.Icemakers that initiate an ice harvest based upon a single temperaturesensor are subject to a variety of failures that are caused by thecombination of water quantity, air flow/heat transfer, levelness of theicemaker, temperature sensor location, and other. Essentially, theicemaker 22 may be determined to be too long with respect to thelocation of a single temperature sensor.

The icemaker 22 may incorporate multiple water level sensors positionedalong the length the row of ice cavities 42. Using two or more waterlevel sensors will provide information about the fill volume andlevelness condition of the icemaker. This information can be used in anicemaker control algorithm to provide the optimum fill volume and thecorrect harvest initiation. The use of multiple water level sensorsresults in reliable ice production with conventional water supplytechnology, conventional temperature sensing means, and typicalairflow/heat transfer, and typical installation parameters.

Icemold Having a Larger Ice Cavity Near Temperature Sensor

The icemaker 22 may be altered to include a larger ice cavity 42 nearthe thermostat 58. Such a larger ice cavity 42 would produce a large icecube that would freeze slower than the rest of the ice cubes. As thethermostat registers the temperature of the large ice cube, this wouldprevent premature ice harvest, one reason for failures and service callson refrigerators containing icemakers in their freezer portion. Thelarger ice may have a modified dispensing system and may requireslightly longer ejector fingers 56.

This inventive feature is in contrast to icemakers with symmetricalcompartments for all ice cubes. The prior art thermostat controlledicemakers often have a time delay or other active means to compensatefor the possibility for a hollow ice problem (where the center of theice cube is still liquid water). In the present invention, the large icecube portion located next to the thermostat passively delays theactivation of the thermostat and subsequent harvest mechanism. This hasthe potential to be an energy savings and the modification is passiverequiring no other energy to be expended. This invention is particularlyuseful to applications that require increased ice harvest rates.

Individual Fill of Ice Mold Cavities

The icemaker 22 may be altered to include multiple water fill tubes.Such a configuration permits more uniform distribution of water to eachcavity 42. One such method of accomplishing this is through theutilization of a supply manifold.

In contrast, current icemakers use a single point in which the mold bodyis filled with supply water. As the mold body is filled, the supplywater over flows the dividing walls (weirs 38) of the individual icecube cavities with the intent of filling the entire mold with supplywater. An unlevel installation creates problems for this type of design.The tilt of the icemaker may not allow the supply water to sufficientlyfill the cavities on the high end of the mold body, and/or may cause toomuch water in cavities on the low end. This can lead to an overflow ofthe icemaker and/or problems with ice harvesting such as hollow cubes,excessive wetting, and ejector arm stalls.

Straight Shot of Fill Water Down the Mold Lower Weir Side

As seen in FIGS. 19 and 20, the ice mold 28 has one side of the weir 38open for water flow. The icemaker 22 may be altered to position the filltube 30 in alignment with this opening so that water flowing from thefill tube takes a direct path.

The prior art icemakers provides a fill tube that directs water flowinginto the mold body along a circuitous path that slows the entry of thewater into the ice cavities 42. As proposed, this may be improved uponby getting water to flow in a direct path down the open side of the weir38 and thereby allowing momentum to minimize water surface tension andits effects upon water flow and filling of the individual ice cubecavities.

Stepped Mold

The icemaker 22 may be altered to included a stepped ice mold to improvethe ability of the icemaker to operate correctly when installed in anunlevel condition. The icemaker mold is given a stepped orientation inwhich the mold fills from the top, and cascades into each lower cube.The harvest or fill sensor can be located at any cube, but top and/orbottom are thought to be the preferred sensor locations. The steppedorientation of the ice mold would make the icemaker no more sensitive tounlevelness than any single cube. The slope of the icemaker steps mustbe greater than the largest degree of unlevelness that the icemaker willsee.

1. A refrigerator comprising: a storage compartment; a door on the compartment; an icemaker mounted within the storage compartment and having a mold having separating weirs to create cavities in which water is frozen to form ice cubes; a water fill tube supplying water to the icemaker; and the ice mold having raised side walls extending above the weirs for minimizing water spilled out of the mold.
 2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the ice mold has raised end walls that permit the icemaker to be positioned +/−5.6° from front to back to reduce water spillage.
 3. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising an impingement duct positionable +/−10.2° from side to side.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising an outwardly splayed fill cup.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a thermostat to monitor the temperature of the mold.
 6. The refrigerator of claim 5 wherein the icemaker includes a control housing and the thermostat is positioned between the control housing and the ice mold.
 7. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the icemaker has mounting brackets for mounting the icemaker within the storage compartment.
 8. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising projections adjacent the mold to control air flow so as to enhance heat transfer to facilitate rapid ice formation.
 9. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a bale arm pivotally mounted for movement in a vertical plane.
 10. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the icemaker weirs have a center opening to assure the ice cavities are filled with water.
 11. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein a fill tube is positioned for a straight fill of water through openings in the weirs.
 12. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the icemaker mold has a stepped configuration.
 13. An improved refrigerator having a food storage compartment with a door, the improvement comprising: an icemaker in the storage compartment; a water fill tube to supply water to the icemaker; and the icemaker having exterior walls and interior walls defining ice cube cavities, with the exterior walls being taller than the interior walls.
 14. The improved refrigerator of claim 13 wherein the icemaker is tilted.
 15. The improved refrigerator of claim 13 further comprising a thermostat to monitor the temperature of the icemaker.
 16. The improved refrigerator of claim 13 further comprising projections adjacent the cavities to control air flow over the cavities.
 17. The improved refrigerator of claim 13 further comprising a bale arm to discharge ice cubes from the cavities.
 18. The improved refrigerator of claim 13 wherein the internal walls include openings to facilitate water filling the cavities.
 19. The improved refrigerator of claim 13 further comprising an impingement duct to direct air towards the cavities.
 20. The improved refrigerator of claim 13 further comprising mounting brackets on the icemaker to mount the icemaker in the storage compartment. 